Contents

History

Fries worked as a scientist for Gothcorp. When his wife, Nora became infected with a deadly disease, he developed a special freezing cell and planned to cryogenically hold her until a cure was found. The experiment, however, was interrupted by Ferris Boyle, C.E.O. of Gothcorp; A fight ensued, and Fries was kicked onto a lab table which broke multiple beakers of volatile chemicals. The accident soaked Dr. Fries's entire body with the freezing solution and rendered him unable to survive outside of a sub-zero environment. He vowed revenge on those who had wronged him and created a vacuum tight suit which enabled his body to survive at temperatures hotter than the standard -50 degrees his new body was used to. As a side effect, the cybernetic suit tripled his strength and was equipped with a microphone helmet which electronically amplified his voice, making him sound monotone and emotionless. After building a laser-powered cold gun, "Mister Freeze" was born.

Mister Freeze

Driven by hatred over the destruction of his life and maddened by his condition, Mr. Freeze sought revenge on those that had victimized him. He first attacked Boyle and Gothcorp, and though his plan was stopped by Batman who threw a container of warm soup on his helmet, the Dark Knight presented evidence that led to Boyle's arrest for his misdeeds. Freeze, however, was arrested, and sent to Stonegate Penintenary, albeit with a special cell with subzero temperatures so at least he could live without his cybernetic suit.[1]

Grant Walker discovered Nora's frozen, but living body and later sent giant robots to spring Mr. Freeze from Stonegate. An entrepreneur and businessman, he used her as a bargaining chip to gain what Freeze had always seen as a curse: immortality. Freeze transformed Walker's cell structure to a frozen prison similar to Freeze's. Upon completion, Freeze betrayed Walker and destroyed the "utopian" society he had been building. Freeze then secluded himself in a self-made ice block, floating to colder waters until he finally settled in the Arctic. He stayed there with Nora, continuing to look for a cure.[2]

Unfortunately for Freeze and Nora, an exploration crew inadvertently crashed into Freeze's home. The containment was destroyed and the deadly disease to progressed into its fatal stages. After freezing the entire crew of the sub, Freeze headed to Gotham City with Nora, his surrogate son Koonak and his two polar bears Notchka and Shaka, to enlist the aid of Gregory Belson. Belson, a medical doctor, had known Fries prior to the accident. Though he was hesitant, Belson was eventually "persuaded" to aid Freeze, with Fries showing he would pay Belson well.

Together they found a way to cure Nora's disease, but it required an organ transplant. To make matters worse, Belson said the disease would probably kill Nora soon unless they performed the transplant now. With no deceased donors available, they were forced to pursue a live one. The "donor" they chose was Barbara Gordon, and they proceeded to kidnap her. However, Dick Grayson was present during the kidnapping, and though he failed to save Barbara, he was aware of Freeze's plot. Batman and Robin managed to interrupt the operation before it took take place; the battle that ensued caused Freeze's lair to explode. Batman, Robin, and Barbara were able to evacuate Nora and Koonak in time, but Freeze had fallen into the fiery blast and was assumed dead. In actuality, he and his polar bears survived and, for a time, wandered the Arctic.[3]

In Gotham, Nora was cured. She waited patiently for Victor to return, but he never made effort to contact her. In reality, the accident that had caused his "immortality" had actually deteriorated his body. Though his head was able to continue functioning, the rest of him withered away. He constructed an insect-like robotic carriage for his head, as well as a larger shell resembling his human form.

Resigned that he would never again be united with his beloved Nora, a new layer of ice froze over Freeze's heart. Having lost that which was most precious to him, he resolved to stamp out warmth wherever it glowed. A newer, more powerful, and chillingly sardonic Mr. Freeze lost his obsession over his wife and instead concentrated on bringing misery to the people of Gotham and its protector, Batman. However, Batman and Batgirl stopped the plan, and Freeze disappeared.[4]

The head of Fries laid dormant for forty years before his destiny was intertwined with a new businessman: Derek Powers. Looking for a way to cure Powers' condition, Dr. Stephanie Lake proposed a cunning solution: transfer his consciousness to a new body. In order to test it, however, she needed an adequate subject. As Fries's condition was irreversible, the idea of a normal life was more than enough for Fries to cooperate. The process seemed to work, and Fries was temporarily restored to good health. Eventually, though, his condition took a turn for the worse; as a result, Dr. Lake opted to terminate the experiment. Betrayed yet again, Mr. Freeze returned to exact revenge on those whom he felt wronged him. After a confrontation with Blight and the new Batman, Fries chose to accept the death he had thought about for forty years. Fries created a wall of ice between him and Batman, so Batman would be unable to save him. The building he was in collapsed, and Fries was assumed dead.[5]

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Unique Physiology: Due to an accident in the lab, Fries' body has frozen over down to the core and manipulated his physiology.